Back from Montana!(Lots Of Pictures)

[Tom2008]

I'm back and couldn't be any happier with the trip. I had an awsome time and will be definatley going out again next year. Gonna try for an A tag next time though. Ok well we left last Sunday at 5 in the morning and arrived at my Great Aunt's house around 5:00 in the afternoon.

Day 1

On Monday we went out to Haugen's Ranch for our first hunt. Which was pretty exciting right off the bat. On our way to the mail box to get our permission slips we seen a fork horn Mule Deer, a Mulie Doe, and 2 Mulie fawns. Well we slowed down when we were passing the doe and she was only about 2 feet from our car. She wasn't paying attention at all and she turned around right into the side of the truck. We didn't hit the deer the deer actually hit us! Once we fill out our permission slip we drop my Uncle off at a ridge and he walks that. We pick him up about an hour and a half later and he said that he didn't see anything. I spotted 3 Mulies running up the top of a hill at probably 600 yards away, but thats it. Later on me and my Uncle walked a ridge over looking the a river bottom where the deer like to walk through frequently. We didn't jump any deer, but I found a few rubs and a lot of deer sign. During the afternoon hunt we went to a place we like to call Doeden's Island. By far the best Whitetail hunting spot I have ever been to. It is a shotgun or bow only area so not to many people hunt on the island. So during the whole week we only had 1 other guy out there while we were there. Well first night my uncle seen a whole bunch of deer going along the edge of the woods and I had seen one Whitetail doe. She came in at last light at 20 yards. I couldn't shoot her anyway though, because I didn't have a Whitetail Doe tag. After what happened that night me and my uncle went to the local sportsman's store and we each got a Whitetail Doe tag. Here are a few pictures from Haugen's Ranch and the first afternoon at Doeden's Island.

My Uncle on the first ridge.


Sunrise over the great ranch.


Picture of the area.


My Grandpa has been going to this ranch since 1981 and this is the first time he has ever seen a coon out there. I took a couple quick pictures.




The buck rubs I found in the river bottom.





Pictures from my sitting spot for the first afternoon at Doeden's Island.







There had to of been over 1000 Geese on the Yellowstone river. Here is a picture of a small flock of them.


Day 2

Well Tuesday also ended up being an excellent day to hunt. We went out to another Ranch privatley owned by a friend of the family. Right off the bat at 6:45 we spotted 4 deer out in the fields. We didn't shoot because we could not tell if they were bucks or does. While driving around the hill I spotted a 5x5 Mulie Buck and a we watched a Whitetail buck push a doe across a field. We couldn't shoot deer on the side of the fence where the doe was. Once we checked around the bottom of the hill we went to the top of it. Me and my uncle walked around looking for deer while Grandpa sat in the truck waiting for our return. Grandpa can't do much walking because of his hip. I jumped a 4x4 Whitetail Buck and he just stood there 50 yards broadside. We jumped that 5x5 Mulie Buck again later on and then we headed back down the mountain. Later that day I tried to follow what I thought was a Mulie Doe, but she got out of my view real quick after a couple hundred yards. We had seen a lot of deer that night, but none that would present a shot. Had a great time out there though sitting on top of the huge hill sides over looking the land. Pictures from Day 2.

This is the hill we went around and on top of later on that day. The sun is just starting to creep its way over the top.


Here is a quick picture I took of the land.


This pictures was taken on top of the hill. I was sitting in a clump of Ponderosa's looking into a clearing. We seena doe jump in front of the truck earlier in this spot.


My Uncle found this 4 point Whitetail shed while searching for deer.


I found this rub on top of a huge hill. The buck that made it did a good job of cleaning the tree bark off.


One of the many hill sides I sat on looking for deer. I jumped 3 Whitetail Does about one hundred yards to the left of this pictures. None presented a good shot.


Day 3
Tuesday night my cousin Bobby came back from his elk hunt in another part of Montana. He didn't get one, but his friend Butch downed a 5x5 Mule Deer. Butch's Step-Brother also got a 3x4 Mulie buck and a Mulie Doe. Well on Wednesday morning Me, my Uncle, Bobby, and friend Charlie went out to Doeden's Island. We jumped to Whitetails right away before we made it to the open field. We had my Uncle and Charlie push deer while me and Bobby set-up in our ambush spots. On the way out to our spots we spotted 5 Mule Deer in the Meadow and a couple Whitetails. We settled in at 7:00 and just waited. No more than 10 minutes went by and I heard deer grunting. Then all of a sudden I had atleast 20 deer running back and forth in front of me some stopping to eat and bed down. Well my frist shot with the 12 guage was not lethal. I was in a standing position without a rest and I ended up jerking the gun and missing my target. Once the first drive was over we set-up along the creek where the deer cross. We had two pushers and two sitters. I saw 4 deer cross the between the 2 islands. I shot at one and missed, but that was a 130 yard shot which I found out a little later. We headed back to the house to re-coop from an exciting morning. The afternoon hunt ended up being for Mule Deer. Me, my Uncle, and Grandpa when out to my Cousin Cathie's place for Mule Deer. My uncle dropped a yearling in a field. Me and my grandpa also ended up getting yearling deer too. I will admit my first shot did not go where I expected. I ended up wounding the poor deer in the back leg. Then I missed 2 more times and finished it off with a lucky lung shot. We did not use my rifle anymore after that. The scope must gotten bumped. We were a little dissapointed that we all had gotten a yearling, but I guess it is some great meat. Here is a picture of our deer from that day.

Picture of the deer crossing I was over looking between the two islands. You might be able to notice a log way down on the end of the beach. That is where the deer cross.


Me with my first Mule Deer ever.


All 3 of our deer from that afternoon.


Day 4

Thursday was a real quick hunting day, because we had to get out of there early. Thanksgiving dinner that day so I'm sure you get the point. That day we decided to sit out at Doeden's Island again. Not drives this time though just sitting and waiting. I ended up not seeing anything so at 8:30 I decided to start heading back. Well instead of walking the road I decided to walk the creek bed to see if I could push any deer to anyone. I ended up pushing 2 Whitetail Doe's right to Bobby and he dropped one right in its tracks. The other one jumped in front of me down in the creek bed, but she didn't present a shot. When I got up there I had seen him sitting on the picnic table. He told me that he thought that I would be coming back around 8:30. He knew I was smart enough not to just walk the road so he decided to set himself up so he could ambush any deer that came through. It ended up working out great and another deer to the freezer. Pictures from day 4.

Pictures from where I was sitting.




Bobby's Whitetail Doe


Here is a picture I took with Butch's 5x5 Mule Deer and his Step-Brother's 3x4 Mule Deer.


Day 5
Well the last day we were going to hunt was Friday. Me and my Uncle went out to Doeden's Island. I sat in my normal spot and my Uncle tried to push deer to me, but that ended up being unsuccessful. Once he passed me he was going to cirlce around and sit at that picnic table. My job at that time was to push deer towards him. I walked all the way out to where the Yellowstone river runs alon the island and started my walk down in the creek bed towards my uncle. I ended up pushing 3 deer towards him. He shot at one doe twice and missed both shots. Our scopes must have gotten really bumped during the last few days. The spike and 2 does ran out in front of me in the same spot as the doe the day before. Of course not presented a shot. We went out again for the last afternoon hunt. Right off the bat before we even made a game plan deer ran out in front of us. A 5x5 Whitetail and his doe. It was my turn to push to him again and wow what a time I had. I ended up spotting the 5x5 again at the bottom of creek bed. He didn't spot me walking right towards him. I watched him go up the side of the creek. I went up there too and walked about 20 yards in the towards him. I stopped waited a minute and there he was going back down to the creek bed 10 yards in front of me. He ended up walking out in front of me at 10 yards. That would have been perfect if I had my bow and an A tag for the buck. Well once he passes by I move on and end up pushin 5 deer passed my uncle he shoots at one and ends up missing again. So we officially decided that his gun was way off. Well we decided to do one more push after that. I went and sat at the Island crossing spot again where I was set-up the second time on Wednesday. At about 4:10 P.M. deer started to come into view. First the 5x5 crossed then a 4x4 and a doe bolted across. All of a sudden I hear a deer coming towards on the same ground level I was on. Then I look down the creek and 20 yards in front of me a doe walks out into the cool water. Before she stepped out she looked right at me and bolted. 1 minute later I look behind me and there is a deer standing 10 yards behind me pefectly broad side. I put the crosshairs behind the shoulder and fire. The deer didn't even budge and I guess I didn't even hit it. I couldn't believe it. I load in another shot and fire. The deer starts to kind of jog off I shoot again and bam I nail him right in the heart. He goes down in an instant and that was the end of that. We found out that the 2nd shot skinned the bottom of the deer. I guess the shotgun I was using also got bumped a little also. What a rush though all the things that happened only took up 5 minutes of time! Here are pictures from the last day of hunting.

Picture of the Yellowstone river.


The first deer I have ever taken with a shotgun. What and exciting hunt!




Day 6

Saturday ended up being the butchering day. Me and Bobby woke up at 6 chatted for an hour and went out the garage to start the work. We cut up 5 deer that day and didn't finish till 5:00 P.M. We made Cube Steaks, Hamburger, Hamburger Patties, Sirloin Steaks, Round Steaks, and some other stuff just can't quite remember righ tnow. Here are some pictures.

Grandpa was the Supervisor. My uncle is the one cutting up the deer. Butch is sitting in the other chair, and cousin Bobby is in the back there.


The sign outside of the freezer.


Inside the freezer and to let everyone know we did have 8 deer in there.


Here is some of the good stuff. Bobby cutting up the backstraps and grandpa making cube steaks.






Well that is everything from my Montana Trip. Hope you all enjoyed the stories and pictures. Sorry about the huge amount of pictures , but they to go with it .

[arrow32]

Good story! You have alot of good pics there.

Congrats on all the mulies.

[gitcha_some]

sounds like a great time indeed

[wtnhunt]

Looks like it was a great trip. Congratulations to everyone on the deer.

[stevebeilgard]

nothing like a great family hunt

[archerjg]

Congratulations on the deer. It looks like a good time was had by everyone.

Archerjg

[huntinglad]

Looks like you had a great time and congrats on the deer too!!

[Xen]

congrats - sounds like you had a great time